Secret Lure of a Cat Demon

When I left her room I sighed. I could not believe what was happening to me. I almost told her. Instead I riddled her. I knew she would seek answers and I knew she would find out. I shook myself and tried to forget her. Instead I set myself on sorting out the problems of today. That way I knew I would be able to tell her and move on. That way I knew that if I told her I could figure out if she wanted me in her life the same way.

I headed straight for the secret passage not far from our rooms. I needed to leave this place without too much trouble and I knew that if I went down the corridors I would meet someone I didn’t want to meet.

I checked the entrance when I got to the other end. Everything was clear. I sighed and stepped out. I was just about to open the front doors when heard foot steps. I looked behind me and I saw one of my pack members. He smiled and walked over to me.

“Sir” he said curtly.

“Mason, what do you want?” I asked. It seemed cold but he knew that there wasn’t many niceties when it came to disturbing me.

“I wanted an update on the current situation with Danni and if we have any new cases coming up?” he questioned me. I looked at him and shook my head.

“No new cases until Danni is sorted. I need everyone here. All our members outside this fort will deal with them. As for the situation with Danni all information is classified. All I can say is I wish I had killed him properly in the first place.” He nodded and I was able to finally slip out of the doors. I hated people who cut me off and I was now needing to go faster than I wanted. I started running towards the woods and I shimmered just before I hit the woods edge. I ran for what seemed like ages. It started getting light when I finally stopped. I looked for a clearing and I howled. I howled load but I knew it would be heard. I shimmered back to my normal self and I sat down on the ground waiting for the person I needed to see.

I came here to see a close friend of mine. He was a crow and fast at delivering messages. I closed my eyes and waited for the sound of fluttering wings. It didn’t take long for me to hear them. A smirk formed on my lips as I opened my eyes. There stood Byrne. A white crow and a bit angry at times but a good friend.

“Zev, you howled” He stated.

“I did indeed. I need a favour and I know I can trust you.” I told him. Confusion littered his face.

“What is it?” he asked me.

“Something has cropped up at the fort where I am posted. Danni turned up.” Surprised to hear the name I knew he would be listening intently. “He is alive because unaware of her actions the woman I love helped him escape four years ago when I had supposedly killed him. He is in the dungeons but I need you to gather some help and I need a certain persons information relayed to you. I need you to go to a certain panthers pack ask for Temperance. Tell them that the lord of the guard needs her help. Tell them they you are hunting the guy who attacked her. Hopefully she will relay some important information. I need a cheetah. Do you remember Kieran?” He nodded. “Well, he rapped someone I care about and almost killed her sister. I need him brought to me. He needs to stand trial. Please I need this” He studied me. I didn’t move but I lowered my vision to the ground where my hand was playing with the grass.

“You’re serious” he spluttered. I nodded.

“So lets get this straight, you love some one?” I nodded. “But she helped your worst enemy to not get killed?” I nodded again. “But she didn’t know it?” I nodded again. “And now you have Danni in the dungeons?” I nodded and looked at him. I was starting to get annoyed. “And there is a cheetah out there who used to work for the guard but now he is out there after raping your girl and her sister”

“She isn’t my girl” I stated. He just smirked and shrugged.

“Fine, I will be ass quick as possible.” I nodded and changed back in to a crow. He flapped and headed off. I sighed and closed my eyes. Now that that was sorted I could relax for a little bit. I wanted to talk to Danni about things, get some real answers find out the whole story but I knew I had to wait until the trial. I didn’t really want to but I had to and now there was nothing else to do but to wait until the trial. I guess I would have to go back t the fort and figure something out. There wasn’t much to do except laze about and that was boring.

I couldn’t help but just sit in the woods. It was quiet and peaceful and I didn’t have to think of anything. The sun beat down on my face and I smiled. This was nice all my duties were to be forgotten.

It was nice being quiet but to was also quite weird. I was used to all the noise and it was so silent. Even the birds had stopped twittering. This normally meant something. I wanted to shrug it off but I soon listened into the silence. Every animal had stopped. I took a sniff of the air and there were many smells. All of them I recognised. The birds and the animals in the ground. The rabbits and the deer. They smelt so nice. I smelt the birds that flew and I smelt Byrne. His scent was unique. I then noticed mine. It had a hint of Katsi to it. I sniffed again. There was something else. Something that wasn’t meant to be.

My ears twitched sensitive to every sound, every crack and every crumple. I knew the sounds of the animals small and large, the dainty and the clumsy and this was careful. It wasn’t used to the ground or the trees around. I kept my eyes closed using my senses that were better than sight.

Then I heard it. A slight sound of a voice. A snuff of a laugh. They were smug. They thought I didn’t know they were there. I learnt when I was training to keep your opponent unaware until the best time. I listened carefully and I heard them move. A crumple of a leaf sounded and I smiled. I didn’t move. I jut sat there waiting. Then a crack went. It was quiet but I heard it well.

“You know,” I said not opening my eyes. “The best tactic to stalking is not to be heard. To feel out your surroundings before you move. Know where all your weaknesses are and know where every stick and leaf are. Now how can I help you” I said. I heard them sigh. I didn’t know where they were stood and what they looked like.

“Lord Zev, or would you prefer your majesty?” She asked. The higher pitch of the voice distinguished it. I almost jumped up with surprise at the sound of their voice but I had to keep stable and not show any emotions. I knew them almost instantly. Her name was Millie and we had a past together. As lovers yes and more. We were partners when I was younger. She doubled crossed me and so I relieved her of her duty in the guard. This was when I first because lord of the guard. It was the first act I did. It felt too long ago now.

“Millie, what do you want?” I asked with harshness in my tone.

“Still ask forceful as you used to be” She commented. Amusement littered her tone.

“Millie, if this is not important I ask of you to leave.” I said. I was formal but I still remained the dominant party. She was wolf, like me, and so we clashed a lot of the time.

“I have information for you. On a certain somebody. A certain somebody you want dead.” I could almost see the smirk on her lips. I opened my eyes in a drowsy manner but looked at her with interest.

“Go on” I said. Her eyes glinted in the suns light but there was mischievous intent hidden behind the innocence.

“Danni and Kieran” she said,

“What about them?” I asked. She shrugged.

“I can tell you how Danni got hold of the plant the drugged the girl and I can tell you how Danni got past the guard to get hold of Kieran.” My eyes lit up.

“First off, tell me what you know about the girl” I asked. She looked at me and I knew she could se the urgency behind my voice.

“She is a little minx as far as I am aware. Before she met Danni she drank a lot. She was always getting into fights, and she is a seductress in the making. After you ‘killed Danni’ she disappeared for a few weeks and then reappeared with a sun tan looking overly happy. She looked pregnant. Few months later she was living a normal working life. She didn’t see Danni again until a few weeks before she disappeared for good. That is all I know.”

“She didn’t disappear. She has been with me.” Her face changed.

“Why?” She asked.

“That is none of your business. Now how did Danni acquire this plant. According to my sources it is rare.”

“It is” Millie confirmed. “It is found in the remotest of places. Top of mountain or in the depths of the jungle. It can grow anywhere but only in the extremes.” I nodded understanding her words.

“So, how did Danni get it?” I asked. She shrugged.

“I don’t know. No one has ever had it before. It has only ever been used in rare cases. This is the first time for about 20 years.” I nodded. I could trust Millie on this information. She knew a great deal about everything. She really looked in the truth and the gossip. She might have doubled crossed me but she had always been around when I needed information.

“So, where is there potential for Danni getting hold of this?” I asked. Millie was silent for a little bit and then shrugged.

“Extremists on the black market I suppose. Those who had got old magic books go looking for those little things that could get them a lot of money. This plant is rare and would fetch about £2000.” I raised my eye brows. That much. I knew Danni had money but that for a little plant.

“How much is needed to make someone do something with out know, for a long period of time?” I asked.

“If you asking about the girl. A lot. Danni had her under his grasp for 4 years. That would be thousands of pound just to keep her under his control.” I nodded slowly. I closed my eyes and smiled More information against him. More evidence against him.

“I need your help” I said. I heard a sound of recognition. I opened my eyes and looked at her. I caught her eyes and they were void. There was no emotion. “Look for the person who supplied Danni with this plant. Use guard authority if you have to. Get me the evidence against Danni that I need.” she nodded but then she smirked.

“On one condition” She said. I didn’t say anything. She took it as a sign to continue. “You make me a guard member again. What I did was wrong I know but since then I have been making amends outside the guard can’t you see that. The guard was my family and you knew it.” I looked at her in the eyes deeply. This time I saw want. The truth.

“I will think about it, if you can prove yourself.” She nodded in recognition to my requirement. She bowed and ran in the opposite direction. A very constructive day so far, and I didn’t even move much.